


Three Shorts and a Long

by helsinkibaby



Category: The Following
Genre: Angst, Community: comment_fic, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-03
Updated: 2015-02-03
Packaged: 2018-03-10 09:12:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3284855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before she goes into Witness Protection, Mike visits Debra</p>
            </blockquote>





	Three Shorts and a Long

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: any, any, going into hiding with a secret identity

Mike knocks gently on the motel room door, three quick knocks, then a pause, then one more. It's the way he always knocks this door, the way only he knocks so that she always knows it's him. 

It seems like a long time before the door opens and when it does, Debra's face is paler than he's seen it in a long time, probably since that day in the woods. "I thought you weren't going to answer," he says as she steps back to let him in. The tiny smile she gives him in response almost breaks his heart.

"I almost didn't," she admits, shoving her hands in the back pocket of her jeans and looking down at the carpet. 

"Even though you knew it was me?" He's trying to tease her but neither of them are really in the mood. 

"Especially because I knew it was you," she says and if Debra is being emotionally open, Mike knows shit is about to get real. "Three shorts and a long... I can't believe I'll never hear that again."

He can hear tears in her throat, threatening to choke her and he moves on instinct, pulls her into his arms and rests his chin on the top of her head. One hand splays on her back, the other cups the back of her head. Both her arms are around his waist and he can feel her hands making fists in his jacket. She's trembling from head to foot and he tries to convince himself it's the effects of oxygen deprivation. 

He doesn't come anywhere close to succeeding. 

"It's for the best, Deb," he tells her as he presses a kiss to the top of her head. "Joe's people are still out there... if they find out you survived..." The knowledge of what they did to Clare and Ryan made the danger all too pressing and real, made the choice much easier for them, in one respect at least. 

She's nodding against his shoulder. "I know," she whispers. "It's just... I spent all those years not letting anyone get too close... now that I have..."

Mike closes his eyes, clenches his jaw, wills himself not to break down, or worse yet, throw caution to the wind and join her in witness protection. "We'll find them," he promises. "Track them all down, and when we do... I'll bring you home, Deb."

Debra lifts her head, lays a palm on his face. "I hope so," is all she says before she presses her lips to his. 

He kisses her back but only for a moment because there's a knock at the door and he knows what that means. "It's time," he tells her and he kisses her once more before he lets her go, walks over to the bed and picks up her bag. He resolves not to do anything stupid, say anything stupid, but as he puts his hand on the door handle, he hears her voice. 

"I love you."

He sucks in a deep breath but he doesn't turn around. 

"I love you too, Deb."

He turns the handle on the door, hands the bag to Turner and walks down the hall alone.

He doesn't look back. 

He can't. 

Because if he does, he knows he'll never let her go. 


End file.
